If anyone has earned the presidency in 2016, it’s Hillary Clinton. She’s the most admired person in the country, and tough enough to be president, too. She’s an expert in both international and domestic affairs. Few candidates in either party could say the same, a reason Democrats and Republicans alike honor and respect her. So many women consider her a role model...

For many Americans, the idea of riding their bike as a form of transportation can be a scary thought. Even though it’s healthy for the rider and the environment, we live in cities plagued with car congestion, lack of bike lanes, and few cyclist protection measures.
On December 28, 2014, cyclist Tom Palermo was hit and killed in Baltimore. The driver, Bishop Heather...

Two huge votes are looming on the horizon for the movement to label GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). Oregon and Colorado will both be voting on the issue during next month’s election.
“Genetically engineered” (GE) food is defined in Oregon’s Measure 92 as “food produced from organisms with genetic material changed through in vitro nucleic acid techniques...

By Sharon New, MS, Food Educator and Health Coach, Local Food Beat
Autoimmune Diseases are on the rise in the United States. Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease are autoimmune conditions affecting the thyroid. They’re the cause of much confusion, even within the medical community.
Your thyroid gland is one of eight glands in your endocrine...

How can a family save their farm in the face of urban development, while raising children close to nature and keeping a sense of community in the face modern life?
Potomac Vegetable Farms East, the only remaining vegetable farm in Fairfax County, VA, lives in a cooperative space with the Blueberry Hill, a co-housing community where children grow up as if on a farm. Yet...

“How can you possibly be an educated person and still eat meat?” I’ve come across this attitude fairly frequently from those vegetarians and vegans that choose to be so for ethical reasons. While understand the reasoning behind this statement, especially in regards to factory farming in America, I can still counter their position.
“How can...

By Sharon New, MS, Food Educator and Health Coach, Owner and Creator, Local Food Beat
If we were supposed to eat only plants, seeds and nuts, we’d have small brains and a large gut like a gorilla. But we don’t.
I am often asked what I think of different kinds of diets like the Atkins diet, Paleo diet, Weight Watchers, and, yes, veganism. A vegan diet is...

At one time the marijuana lobby may have belonged to the political Left. In today’s world the marijuana lobby brings together the Koch Brothers with the supporters of George Soros and other liberal groups.
Industry groups are pulling the wool over our head for the sake of winning, and for greed and profit. Most people don’t even notice. Because 90% of...

Thoughtful livingis a non-profit, non-partisan organization promoting careful consideration of the choices we make as individuals and society. It is intended to be a resource for parents, their children, teachers and others.

It is hoped that young people and those who care about them think before making choices or advocating for positions that may be harmful to themselves and others: Genetically – modified foods, marijuana legalization, medical marijuana and veganism.

Some of these articles wish to counter excessive hype and inaccuracies posted on the Internet. Health choices, such as using marijuana or following a vegan diet, are marketed to children, not the mature adults who stand to lose far less if beginning at an older age.

We have no connection to politicians, government or industry, but are united in our concern for the physical and psychological health of today’s youth. Guest columnists are invited to write articles and/or letters to be reviewed by the staff before publication on this website. Contact thoughtfulness@thoughtful-living.org.

The Quick Fix

Avoid these GMO foods:

Corn, Soy, Aspartame, Canola Oil, Cottonseed Oil, Sugar Beets

It’s safest to buy meat from a farmer or buying club that only involves grass-fed animals. If you eat corn-fed beef, it can be assumed that the cows have been fed GMO corn because 88 percent of the US corn crop comes from genetically modified corn. As of now, the only fruits and vegetables which have been approved for genetic modification are zucchini, some yellow squash and papaya. American wheat and rice are not GMO.